


Stepping Up

by HyperKid



Series: Trans Caleb AU [5]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Coming Out, Early campaign 2, Fluff, Found Family, Other, Trans Male Character, heckin wet and naked time coming up, trans!Caleb Widogast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 18:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20952959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HyperKid/pseuds/HyperKid
Summary: At least two of his five companions already know Caleb’s secret; he can’t be too sure about Molly. They all will after going to the baths. But it doesn’t seem right that his dear goblin friend be the last to know.





	Stepping Up

**Author's Note:**

> HK: Look I feel deeply unproductive if I’m not posting anything, okay?   
Mollymauk: *snickers* Well that’s something you should have thought of when planning another orgy.   
HK: It issssss. But I didn’t. And here we are!   
Mollymauk: Time for some more good softness?   
HK: Time to knock the ends off another little thing.   
Mollymauk: I do like this one. And I’m looking forward to the next one.   
HK: Shhhhhhh all in good time! 
> 
> WARNINGS!! Caleb’s an angsty boy? Not much today 
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one officially affiliated with Critical Role. Except a dice set.

By the time they reached Zadash, it felt like everyone in the world had worked out Caleb’s secret. Or shortly would. Molly’s emerging plan to drag them all to a bathhouse gave him a full body twitch which the tiefling gracefully pretended not to notice. 

It wasn’t necessarily that he was against the idea; the Mighty Nein had proven themselves on the whole to be accepting and refreshingly judgement free. A tiny bit of the weight in his chest had drifted away each time the dreaded conversation had been broached, only to prove itself to be nothing. 

But it felt wrong that Nott should be the last to know. 

Luckily, it took only the most minimal of prompting for him to get some time alone with her. 

“What’s up, Caleb?” The little goblin girl asked cheerfully, following him from the inn up and into their room. Caleb shuffled uncomfortably, clearing his throat. It occurred to him that this would be the first time he had actually initiated this conversation. 

“There is... something I would like to show you, before we go to bathe with the others tomorrow. Or tell you, I suppose.” 

It would have been impossible to miss the way Nott’s shoulders tensed at the mention of the bath. Not unlike the way Caleb’s own wanted to at this moment. 

“Do you not want to?” She asked, perhaps just a little too quickly. “I don’t mind keeping you company if you wanted to go shopping, or look for books, or-“ she trailed off when Caleb raised a hand quickly, the rapid fire questions threatening to send him into a panic again. 

“No, no. It is nothing like that. I just...” he drew in a deep breath, centring himself. “We have not seen one another naked before, and I do not want you to be surprised by what you see. I am not...” he hesitated again, not sure what words to use. What words a goblin would understand. 

Luckily, Nott seemed to be a few steps ahead of him, understanding dawning across her face. One small green hand tucked into his elbow, and Caleb forced himself to meet her gaze. She was smiling, her lips deliberately closed over the jagged points of her teeth. 

“Caleb, I promise, there’s nothing about your naked body that’s gonna change anything between us. I can not look if you like, or not come to the baths?” Something still seemed to be dwelling on her mind, the offer coming out faster and almost hopeful? 

Caleb hesitated, pushing his own concerns and rising panic aside for the moment. 

“Do you not wish to come bathe?” 

The young goblin squirmed, her gaze flitting away from his for the first time in a while. 

“I... I’m not really what you’d call comfortable with water? But it really seems like this is a group bonding thing and we should all be there. Work out our direction and all?” 

Understanding dawned and brought with it a faint smile. Caleb crouched to put himself on her level, resting a hand on her shoulder. 

“You do not need to do anything that would make you uncomfortable. You know I would not let that happen, yes?” 

She nodded immediately, her eyes snapping back to his face. 

“Of course!” It was so instantaneous, not a hint of hesitation. Not even now that she knew. A fond smile curled across his lips. 

“Perhaps going with all of us would help? We could keep you safe in the water so that you know it can’t hurt you. If it’s big enough perhaps you could learn to swim?” 

An immediate look of disgust flashed across her face and he couldn’t help a laugh. It was just... a relief. It wouldn’t be a secret for much longer; they would almost certainly all know as soon as he stripped down. 

He could only hope that Fjord and Molly would be as accepting as all the others. Part of him had a strong feeling that Molly would be. The tiefling didn’t seem to care about anything much. And Fjord was... well, he’d taken Molly flashing them all in stride. 

For just a little while, Caleb let himself hope. 

Beau would almost certainly deck anyone who made a comment. 

**Author's Note:**

> HK: Alright my dears, next in this series will be the bath tub scene! It is good good fun when everyone’s naked and boiling.


End file.
